Poking, Prodding, Public Preparation

[Renegade]

Schedules, Bugs & Tests
As some of you may have noticed, the scheduled release date for Ares 0.1, our first public release, is quickly coming closer.
However, if you're among the observant part of our userbase, you will also have noticed 0.1 still carries the note "Release date to be determined.".

Now before you panic, this is not an "Ares public release delayed!" thread.

But it is a reminder that we can't do everything alone, and that there's still some stuff to be done before we can publicly release a preview-version of Ares.

In particular, (watch for the testers to squirm in 3...2...1) there are still 6 issues in the tracker which are resolved, but not closed, and need confirmation of resolution before we can confidently move forward.
In addition, at least one issue could probably benefit from more tests and debug data.

Beyond all that, despite my request three months ago, so far, we didn't get all that much material we could use to actually showcase Ares so far.
We'd be happy about a few more shots specifically showing off Ares features at work, and preparing those for public showcasing (adding text, etc.) takes time as well.

Why am I telling all this to the general public, rather than the testers? That's where the poking and prodding part come in.
I think they need a little encouragement - and I figured a mob with torches and pitchforks that would be very unhappy if Ares were delayed because no one bothered to say "yepp, this still works" is a little more convincing than the same people whipping them respectfully asking them to test all day anyway.

In addition, it is, of course, a soft warning that the note stays on there for a reason. We are aiming at a close release date, and we will keep aiming at a close release date even if we don't make the original close release date, but the danger of actually testing stuff before release is that you find show stoppers that delay the release.

So yeah. Ares 0.1 will come soon, and, so far, hitting the scheduled release date is still possible, but the actual date will depend on what last-minute bugs we hit and how much testing gets done to help us crush them.

Disclaimer: All this is not to say that all testers are lazy and don't work...a select few shine and have been a great help. It's just that more shining ones would be better.


Conversion from EXE Patches
On an entirely different note, despite my offers to work on a converter provided I get the necessary data together to actually do that, the public interest/help has been zero in the past three months, so I can tell you right now that there will not be an automatic converter from RockPatch to Ares. A pity, yes, but we don't have the time to wade through the documentation of the dozen different RP versions still in the wild and compare what does and doesn't exist in Ares, and if the community doesn't even care enough to compare two feature lists, then the interest in a converter can't have been all that big in the first place.

If this information is provided after the release of Ares, I can see about crafting one later on, or someone else could give it a try, but so far, as said, the interest doesn't seem to exist, and it's too late to code and test one now.
An official RockPatch → Ares Migration Thread exists, and we'll be happy to assist you migrating manually, gradually building a knowledge base for later help and possible future converters.

Please keep in mind that due to NPatch's unreliable nature and similar spread of versions and features available (among other issues), we do not offer "official" NPatch → Ares migration support. NPatch users are encouraged to help each other, and we will not actively kill NPatch → Ares migration help threads, but do not expect any help or involvement from Ares coders or testers.
The reasons for this decision have been discussed multiple times in the past and it is final. However, as skilled modders, thanks to Marshall's immense efforts to update the manual, you shouldn't have problems converting your mods on your own.


Realistic Expectations
This is a preview-release. It's numbered 0.1 for a reason.
That doesn't mean it's unstable or unusable, but it does mean that it's far from complete. Whining on the forums about missing features, or telling us how NPatch includes feature X and Ares doesn't and therefore NPatch is better, won't do anything.

• Savegames don't work yet.
  
• Super weapon clones don't work yet.
  

Those are simple facts and if you dislike that, or complain about it, that won't magically make them appear. We have an issue tracker. If you want to request features, report bugs, or argue for making something higher priority, go there, do it.
Pointlessly annoying us serves neither of us.

When the time comes, read the manual, decide if the feature set is enough for you, and if it is, convert. If it isn't, get on the tracker and let us know which features you're missing the most.
Everything else is a waste of your breath.


Ares Distribution, Usage, Mod Creators & Ares
Since Ares injects code, rather than hard-changing the engine, its usage and delivery differ from EXE patches. While its usage is most certainly not complicated, the Ares Developers strongly encourage mod creators to use the time of conversion to switch to Marshall's Launch Base RA2/YR add-on manager. Launch Base includes automatic management and updating of Ares and Syringe, and will completely eradicate the need for instructions to the user on how to launch YR with Ares.
It'll basically be click & run for the user, which is most certainly in your interest.
On a related note, all testers who haven't done so already should update to the latest Launch Base.

In addition, for those who opt not to use Launch Base, we will have to provide download locations. While there will, of course, be a local mirror, in order to provide geographically close servers for everyone, we will provide packages on one-click hosters.
The question at this point is: Which ones?
There are easily hundreds of one-click hosters these days, and many many of them just suck. We don't want the community to be bombarded with ads and popups, and we don't want broadband users to be limited to 15 kB/s by the server.
Which one-click hosters have you had good experiences with and would recommend as a mirror for Ares?